Vehicle-spring



(N o Model.)

H. 0. SWAN.

VEHICLE SPRING- Patented Den. 4, 1888.,

1! mum mm N. PETERS. Phnlo-Lithagnphlr Washington. D.C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY C. SWAN, OF- OSHKOSH, NVISCONSIN.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,796, dated December4, 1888. Application filed $eptember 26, 1888. $eriall No. 286,434. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY O. SWAN, a resident of Oshkosh, in the countyof Winnebago and State of \Visconsin, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Vehicle-Springs; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in vehicle-springs of a style inwhich a spiral or volute spring is employed to elastically support avehicle-body by proper connections to the vehicle-gears, and moreparticularly to a form of construction in which the spring is located ina central position below the vehi? ole-body, and is connected to it andthe vehicle-gears by rock-shafts pivotally attached to plate-springs orside bars of said gears.

Heretofore the construction of parts in vehicle-gears adapted to utilizea spiral or volute spring for the elastic support of the body has beencomplicated, involving the use of a number of pieces jointed or clippedtogether, whereby cost of production is enhanced and noisy rattle fromincidental wear increased to an objectionable degree.

The object of my present invention is to provide a vehicle-spring ofspiral or volute form for vehicles, and so connect the same tohalf-elliptic transverse end springs or side bars of the vehicle-gearsby rock-shafts that an easy elastic vertical movement of the body isassured, and a simple connection of few working parts afforded, wherebya superior spring appliance of comparatively low cost is produced.

Vith these objects in view my invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, that will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims. I

Referring to the drawings making a part of this specification, Figure 1is a side elevation of a vehicle-body with the. spring and itsconnections attached. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of a vehicle-bodywith spring and its attachments shown. Fig. 3 is a detached view of thespring and its cupped support.

A is the vehicle-body, B the spring, and C a metal cup in which thespring is seated.

The cup is of cylindrical form on its lower side and provided with aflange, a, that surrounds its lower edge, the use of which will be madeapparent.

The form preferably given the spring B is spiral, with its lower endgiven a conoidal shape by contraction of its coils. This is optional,however, as it will operate freely if a cylindrical spiral form is giventhe spring.

Upon the side sills A of the vehicle-body A,.and also the transversepieces I), that are attached to said side sills, which together form thebottom frame of the body, the boxes 0 c are secured, so as to affordsupport to the rock-shafts D E.

The rock-shafts D, resting in the boxes 0, are bent at (Z so that theirlimbs D will lie nearly parallel with the side sills a, and areconnected at their rear ends, 6, to the eyes of a semi-elliptic spring,F, which are located over the front and rear axles of the vehicle, (notshown;) or said ends e of the rock-shaft limbs D may be attached byshackles to the side bars of the vehicle in the usual manner. At ftherock-shafts D are bent to extend forwardly and toward each other,producing separate arms D which have contact at g, where they are bentto encircle the body of the cup'C, so as to support said cup by theengagement .of its flange a therewith.

The forward ends of the half-circular portions of the rock-shaft armsjust mentioned are extended a short distance in front of the cup C, andare perforated laterally near the terminal ends it of the same, for apurpose that will be shown. Forwardly of the springcup 0 the rock-shaftsE are supported, to haveproper rocking movement in the boxes 0'. Theserock-shafts are provided with arms G and limbs H, similar in form to thelimbs D and arms D integrally produced on the rearward rock-shafts, D.

The arms H of the rock-shafts E approach each other until they havecontact near the cup 0, where there are flattened bosses 1', formed ontheir terminal ends, which are perforated laterally to receive a bolt,2". Be-

tween andupon the perforated bosses z and the adjacent perforated ends71 of the arms (1 which lie directly above said bosses, theconnecting-links k are adjusted pivotally by the bolts 4; k so that alimited vertical move ment of the spring 3 is permitted, which springhas a connection effected between it and the vehicle-body A by thevertical bolt m, thatis susceptible of adjustment fol-length byprovision of a nut, in, which bears upon a washer, m that is seated onthe flat plate 12, said plate covering an opening in the floor of thevehicle-body A, made to accommodate the metal cup t.

The limbs II of the rock-shafts E are forwardly extended to looselyengage the eyes of the halt-elliptic spring I, or may be shackled toside bars of a vehicle, if preferred.

It will be seen that the construction and connection of partshereinbet'ore mentioned will attord free vertical action of thevehiclebody on the springs, and the conjoint operation of thesemi-elli1' tie springs F I with the spiral spring l3 secures properresilience,whilc side sway of the body A is prevented.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a body and rockshafts journaled to the body andprovided with bent portions that are adapted to support a spring-cup, ofa spring-cup and a spiral spring, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a pair of rockshatts bent to support aspring-cup, a springcup, and a spring, of a pair of rockshat'ts that areshackled by adjacent ends to said first pair of rock-shafts,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a body and rockshafts journaled on the body andprovided with limbs, of integral arms formed 011 the rock-shafts,whichare bent to support a springeup, and a spiral spring, substantially asset forth.

-I. The combination, with a vehicle-body and journaled rock-shaftshaving limbs projecting nearly at right angles to the body of theseshafts and arms projected oppositely to the direction of the limbs, saidarms being bent to afford a support for the flanged springcnp, of aflanged spring cup and a spiral spring, substantially as set forth.

The combination, with a vehicle-body, a spring-cup, and a spiral springconnected to the body, of two pairs of rock-shafts that are secured bylinks or shackles together at the adjacent ends of their arms, the armson one pair of rock-shafts being bent to attord support to thespring-cup, substantially as set forth.

(3. The combination, with two pairs of rockshafts that are journaled ona vehicle-body and provided with limbs that are adapted to engageloosely the ends of plate-s n-ings, and arms which project oppositely ofthe limbs to be shackled together attheir terminals, of integral bentcup-supports formed on the arms of one pair of rock-shafts, a spring-cupthat engages the bent cup-supports, and a spiral spring seated in thecup and attached to the vehicle-body, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with a vehicle-body, a spring-cup, a spiral spring,and a connectingbolt, of two pairs of rock-shafts, each provided withoppositely-projecting arms and limbs, the arms of one set havingintcgralbent cup-supports formed on them, the ends of both sets of arms beingshackled together, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

HENRY (J. blVAN.

\Vitnesses:

F. O. STE\VART, FRED FELKER.

